.MTAzMw.NjkyMjU

139

The Officers and men generally behaved very well and are worthy of credit.

                                   Respectfully submitted
                          (Sgd)  R. S. MacKenzie
                                     Col. 4th Cavalry
                                      Commanding

426.D.T.'74. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Headquarters Fort Sill Column In the Field, near Fort Sill, I. T. October 10, 1873.

Asst. Adjutant General Department of Texas. Sir:

          I have the honor to submit the report of the operations of my Column since the 10th of September 1874.
          I found myself in Command of nine Companies of my Regiment (10th Cavalry), four Companies of the 11th and two of the 25th Infantry, which were disposed of as follows:
       Sanderson's Company of the 11th Infy. and Kennedy's and Key's Companies of the 10th Cavalry, were left to garrison Fort Sill.
       Lawson's and Robes's Companies of the 25th and Morrison's Company of the 10th Cavalry, to garrison the Witchita Agency --- became necessary on account of the Indian farming interests there, and to keep out the hostile bans; and the remaining troops, consisting of Carlton's, Carpenter's Van de Wield's, Little's Viele's and Norvell's Companies of the 10th Cavalry, Wikoff, Bowen's and Beach's Companies of the 11th Infantry formed my field command.  In addition I had a section of Mountain Howitzers under Lieut. Kelliher, 25th Infy., and a detachment of 44 Indian Scouts under Lieut. Pratt, 10th Cavy.
         I had a train of 46 wagons under Lieut. Beck, R. Q. M., 10th Cavy. carrying 20 days half forage and 25 days subsistence.
         The Column marched Septbr. 10th for Fort Cobb on the Washita, under Capt. Carlton 10th Cavy., reaching there the 11th of Septbr.  Here I joined the Column on the 11th, having accompanied General Augur to the Witchita Agency, bringing with me Little's and Bowen's Companies from the Agency.  I found the Washita bank full, and the 12th was occupied in rafting across the river these two Companies and their train.
         My plan, approved by the Department Commander, was to move up the Washita to catch any Indians between myself and Colonel Miles' Column, and if not successful in this, to drop down on the North Fort and McClellan Creek, and failing in finding Indian Caps there,  to move along the Eastern base of the Staked Plains and on them, to